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Dave McMenamin, ESPN staff writer
LOS ANGELES – After scoring at least 35 points in his second straight game to open the season and leading the Lakers to a 123-116 victory over the Phoenix Suns and a 2-0 record, Anthony Davis was asked if he I can name both other Laker greats who match his brilliant start.
It took him six misses — Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, James Worthy and LeBron James — before he got a correct answer.
“Jerry West?” Davis asked, correctly naming the Hall of Famer who opened the 1969-70 season with 39 points in his first game and 42 in his second game.
James, who was standing next to Davis at his locker, helped the big man identify the other man.
“Elgin,” James said.
“Elgin Baylor,” Davis continued, mentioning the forward who started the 1962-63 season with 71 points in his first two games, matching Davis’ point total to date.
It’s been an eye-opening start for Davis, who, at age 31 and in his 13th season in the league and sixth with the Lakers, finally appears poised to take the torch as the team’s best player.
“It’s very important that he’s the focal point for us every night,” said the 39-year-old James after finishing the game with 21 points and eight assists. “We know what he’s going to do defensively, but offensively we need to find him in multiple spots on the field throughout the game. And we did that in two games.”
However, James, a 22-year veteran, isn’t exactly admitting he’s slowing down. Proof of that is his answer when asked if he will play against the Sacramento Kings for the second night in a row on Saturday.
“I plan to play every game [this season]said James. “We’ll see what happens if I don’t.”
LA rallied from an early 22-point deficit against the Suns, with Davis, James and Austin Reaves (26 points, 8 assists, 3 steals) leading the way.
“What he’s done is obviously kind of unreal, but I expect him to dominate the game in many facets,” Reaves said of Davis. “I’m just lucky to have him as a teammate.”
And Lakers fans should consider themselves lucky to have JJ Redick as their coach.
One would have to list as many names as Davis – Darvin Ham, Frank Vogel, Luke Walton, Byron Scott, Mike D’Antoni and Mike Brown – before mentioning the last coach to lead the franchise to a 2-0 start: Phil Jackson in the 2010-11 season.
Redick, like the rest of the team, passed the honor on to Davis.
“There is an intention [Davis] “We are aware of the type of player he is and that he can create mismatches,” Redick said. … There’s a certain level of security and confidence that he knows the ball will come back to him if the game gets crazy. … The ball will find him.”
